Flying High
by ColourInfinity
Summary: Hermione has never really been good at flying. So, Ron, being the chivalrous gentleman he is, decides to teach her. But then something goes wrong . . . R/H, and implied H/G. Part 2/2 should be up by tonight. Plz R&R!!!!
1. Flying

DISCLAIMER: All is JKR's. That is why, when the place opens tomorrow morning, I will be going to petition to change my name to Joanne Kathleen Rowling. Then all will be mine . . .  
  
A/N: A 2-part ficlet I dreamed up an hour ago. Check back in about another hour for the next part. That is, if my muse hasn't run away by then. While re-reading PS/SS, I remembered that Hermione never was that good at flying, and was nervous about learning, so Ron is taking the time to teach her.  
  
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~Flying High~  
  
"It's no use! I'll never get it right!"  
  
Hermione Granger picked herself up from the ground, dusting off her robes, and making sure that she was still in one piece. She had just tumbled off her broom for the eighth time that hour.  
  
"Oh, come on Hermione, you'll get the hang of it! You're doing great, just a little more practice, and -"  
  
"No, Ron." She looked furious with herself. "I can't even stay on a broom that's four bloody feet off the ground. How will I ever 'get the hang of it'?"  
  
Ron picked up her broom for her, and made it hover by her side. Then he turned back to Hermione.  
  
"We've only been practicing for 2 hours. You can't expect to learn this overnight! It takes practice!"  
  
Hermione turned on him. "You've known how since you were 4." Ron blushed a little.  
  
"Well, that's different! I had an entire childhood to practice!" Seeing that this hadn't helped in convincing her, Ron continued. "Look. How about if I take you up for a test run? Then you could learn by example."  
  
Hermione looked rather nervous. She glanced warily at the broom. "Will it be able to support the both of us?" she asked, not taking her eyes off the old school broom, that was now looking more and more like a ragged tree branch, with it's twigs sticking out at odd angles.  
  
"Of course it will. Don't worry, 'Mione. I used to take Ginny up on these when we were younger." Glancing around, he lowered his voice to a stage whisper and said, "She was too afraid to go up on her own."  
  
"Hey! I heard that!" came a voice from the bleachers behind them. Hermione turned and spotted what Ron already had - Ginny and Harry were walking towards them, each holding a plate, apparently bringing Ron and Hermione some supper. With a start, Hermione noticed that the sun had nearly sunk down to the horizon.  
  
"Hey guys! You still out here?" she heard Harry call as they came nearer.  
  
"Yep," Ron called back. "We're actually about to take a test flight. Care to watch?" Hermione's eyes widened.  
  
"Ron!" she hissed, through the corner of her mouth. "No! Not in front of anyone, I'm not good enough yet!"  
  
Ron gave her a reassuring smile. "It's okay, you'll do fine."  
  
He brought the broom around, and helped Hermione clamber on, before climbing up behind her.  
  
"Ready?" he asked. Hermione's knuckles were already white from gripping the broom handle, but she nodded anyway. "Okay." Slowly, but surely, Ron steered the broom upwards over the pitch.  
  
"Not too high!" Hermione shrieked, tightening her grip even more.  
  
Ron put an arm around her waist. "Relax, 'Mione. You're doing great."  
  
Hermione tried to relax. Her shoulders sagged a bit, but she was still too nervous to do more than that.  
  
"Open your eyes." She heard Ron say from behind her. "The view is breathtaking."  
  
With a great deal of mental effort, she did. She gasped at what she saw.  
  
You could see for miles from that high up. She saw past the lake, past the forest, to high, rolling hills. The sun was just setting, leaving a pink- and-orange glow over everything it touched. The sky was a shade of violet that was incomparable to any other. There were trees, fields, hills, as far as the eye could see.  
  
Ron was right. The view was breathtaking.  
  
Hermione held her breath as her eyes took everything in. It was beautiful! She was so glad she'd agreed to this flight - she could hardly remember why she'd been so afraid!  
  
Hermione heard a sound from behind her and turned slightly. She spotted another broom flying through the air. Harry and Ginny had decided to join them in the air, and were both sitting side-straddle on their own broom, looping through the air.  
  
Hermione smiled, and waved at the pair. But as she did she leaned over too far to the side. She felt Ron's arm slipping away from her waist as she fell from the broom, letting out a piercing scream as she felt herself falling towards the ground.  
  
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Please Review!!!!! Thanks a bunch!  
  
.:*PDT*:. 


	2. Falling

DISCLAIMER: The Aliens have yet to ally themselves with the Bananas, in their effort to take over the world, so there is no havoc and destruction taking place in all nations around the globe as of yet. But when they do, and believe me, they will, I will be sure to steal Harry Potter from JKR. Until then, it's hers.  
  
A/N: Part 2 of 2. I still am not too sure where this idea came from anyway . . .  
  
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"Hermione, hang on!" Ron cried, as he gripped Hermione's arm as tightly as he could. "I won't let go, I promise!"  
  
Hermione was sobbing. "Please help me, don't let go!! Don't let go!! Oh my God, I'm going to die, Ron, don't let go!!!!" She cried over and over, shrieking in terror as she hung high over the ground.  
  
Ron was struggling to keep on his broom. He was gripping with his legs, while trying to haul Hermione back up, but he didn't have the strength. The broom, having no one to steer it properly, veered slightly downwards, and was heading towards the ground. Hermione could only shriek in terror as the ground came sickeningly closer, second by second.  
  
"Help!! Someone help me!!" she shrieked. Ginny and Harry came speeding towards them, and flew underneath Hermione, trying to pull her onto their broom. But they couldn't manage it, and were forced to fly lower, hopeful to catch her if she fell.  
  
Ron meanwhile had struggled to keep the broom level. His grip started slipping, and he was being pulled down along with Hermione. He gritted his teeth with the effort of keeping Hermione from falling, but, even so, he could feel her slipping lower and lower, her shrieks still piercing the air.  
  
"Hermione, hang on! I won't let go, I promise! You're not going to fall, I won't let it happen! I'd rather die then let you fall!" Ron called down to her.  
  
Hermione, nodded, tears streaming down her face, as she looked down to the ground.  
  
"'Mione? Listen to me. You have to hold on to my arm as tight as possible, okay? I'm going to try and pull you up again. Hold on as tight as you can. Do you understand?" he spoke slowly and clearly, to make sure Hermione understood him in her panic. She nodded mutely. Ron felt her grip tighten, though her nails had already been digging into his arm.  
  
"I'm going to count to three, okay? 1 . . . 2 . . . 3!" he pulled her up as hard as he could, but it was no use, he couldn't pull her up. Hanging only by his legs now, Ron tried to think of something else. He could feel his grip faltering, feeling both Hermione and the broom slipping from his grasp.  
  
Their only chance now was to land before they fell. But how? It's rather hard to steer when you're only hanging on by your legs, leaning over the side.  
  
"But it's our only chance," Ron thought grimly.  
  
"Hermione? Listen. I'm going to try and land the broom. We might fall pretty fast, but it's our only chance."  
  
Hermione started sobbing again. "No, we'll fall too fast, you wouldn't be able to control the broom, you can't-"  
  
"It's our only chance!"  
  
Hermione considered this. She glanced towards the ground again, and shut her eyes tight. But she nodded.  
  
"Okay, I'm going to start heading down." Slowly, Ron edged the broom downwards, pushing the front of the broom downwards with his knees. They started sloping down slowly, slowly but surely.  
  
Hermione's sobs grew quieter as they came lower to the ground. At times, they flew downwards in what seemed an uncontrollably fast descent, Hermione's shrieking piercing the skies once more, when Ron would suddenly manage to pull out of the dive, and level out, before descending again.  
  
After what seemed like hours, Hermione's toes touched the ground, and she let go of Ron's arm, collapsing in a heap, her energy spent.  
  
Ron landed beside her, and quickly tossed the broom aside, kneeling down, and putting his arms around her shaking form.  
  
"'Mione, oh my God, I'm so sorry," Ron said, pulling her close to him. She sobbed into his jumper, curled in a ball on the ground.  
  
"It's okay, you're safe now," he whispered, patting her gently. He tilted her chin up, and looked into her tear-filled yes. "You're safe," he said. He put his hands around her neck, and hugged her tightly. "You're safe."  
  
Hermione stopped crying, and closed her eyes, resting her head on Ron's shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered softly into his ear. "Thank you so much."  
  
Ron smiled. He tilted Hermione's chin toward him. He couldn't help it. He leaned in, and, without thinking of anything else, kissed her deeply.  
  
Pulling away, Ron's grinned widened.  
  
"Don't mention it. Like I said, I'd have rather died, then lose you." Tears appeared in his eyes. "And I'll never take those words back."  
  
Harry and Ginny smiled as they looked on. Harry took Ginny's hand in his and she leaned her head on his shoulder.  
  
"Ron?" Hermione said softly, standing, and pulling him to his feet.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I'm never flying again," she said with a smile.  
  
Ron grinned. "Yeah."  
  
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The End!!!  
  
Sigh, I'm so sappy sometimes . . . well, I think so anyway . . .  
  
Please Review!!!!! I'll love you lots!!!! Thanks so much!!!!!  
  
.:*PDT*:. 


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